mistake!

Aaargh! Can't quite figure out all of this blog stuff: I tagged that recipe for Pamela's baking mix and there is NONE in it! Sorry about that! No need for Pamela's with this one! Good product just not needed here!

summer salads

I love it! When I'm thinking of summer salads and then I pull out one of my favorites and it is so easily adapted! The majority of the recipe is GFree! Plus I've added and changed a few things from the original printing in a "church cookbook" so now I'll call it Mine!

Tokyo Turkey Toss

2 1/2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken (the canned stuff is pretty good too!)
1 lb. can bean sprouts, drained or 2 cups fresh sprouts, washed
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup cooked rice: brown or white
1 cup diced celery
2 tbsp. green or red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 cup peapods, cut in 1 inch pieces

(Vegetarian substitution: eliminate the turkey, add 1 can cannellini beans, drained)

Mix well and chill.

Dressing:
1/4 cup Kraft creamy French dressing
2 tsp soy sauce (Use LaChoy's or wheat free tamari)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. fresh grated ginger
Mix well and chill.

Just before serving, add dressing and toss to mix.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted.

Makes a wonderful lunch or addition to a picnic!

time for zucchini!

As luck would have it, I found zucchini at the coop this week! Yea! Won't be long and friends will be playing rugby with the overgrown veggies and peddling them to willing friends!

As for me, I think they make some of the most amazing bread around. My college roommates had a great recipe that I have adapted for gluten free use.

Zucchini Bread

3 beaten eggs
2 C. sugar
1 C. oil
3 tsp. vanilla
3 C. Pamela's pancake mix
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda.
1/4 baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 C. grated zucchini
1 C. walnuts

Mix and Bake for 1 hour in 350 degree oven. Makes 2* 9X5 loaves or 3 small loaves.

Eat and Enjoy!

Happy Summer Gardens!

clues for dining out

If you're like me, you like to dine out once in a while. For most living gluten free, this can be done with a little thinking ahead.

To be successful with food choices, it helps to know a few key words to avoid. Often fish is offered "pan fried" or "Pecan-crusted." At first glance, one wouldn't know to avoid these options. Pan fried fish is typically drudged through a flour mixture before dropped in a fry pan. Pecan crusted or Almond crusted or anything else listed as "crusted" means that bread crumbs were probably used to form a crust on the fish. There may be a small amount of nuts added for flavor. Another term to avoid is "stuffed." Most times "panko" bread crumbs or other crumbs are added to help form a cake or stuffing mixture.

Instead try this: Broiled or baked are usually safer choices. Another way to assure that your choices are gluten free is to request that any sauces are placed in a side dish. This way you can examine the food without it contaminating other foods on the plate. Of course, deep fried foods are out of the question due to the flours used in this process.

Though it may not be your first choice, grilled steaks and baked potatoes are almost always a good bet. Be sure to ask for mushrooms in a side dish. They may arrive in a gravy sauce which you may want to avoid.

It's time for rhubarb

Well, it looks like it's been a while since I last blogged. Guess life kind of took me away for a while!!

Last summer I found a great recipe for berries and I think a great adaptation would be try using rhubarb!

Triple Berry Crisp

4 cups Blueberries
2 Cups Blackberries
2 Cups Raspberries
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Crystallized ginger, diced
2 Tbsp. Orange peel, grated

Combine these 8 ingredients in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 cup filling into each of 16 (6oz) ramekin cups or custard cups coated with cooking spray or bake in a 9X 13" baking dish. Half a recipe fits nicely in an 8X8" baking dish.

3/4 Cup flour (Use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour mix or Pamela's pancake/ baking mix)
1/2 Cup Brown sugar, packed
4 1/2 Tbsp. Butter, chilled and cut in small pieces.
3/4 Cup Lara's or Bob's red Mill Gluten Free Oats

Combine these ingredients together and split evenly over the tops of the ramekins or baking dish(es).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature, with or without whipping cream or vanilla ice cream. Almonds make a nice variation too (about 1/3 cup minced almonds in the topping).

So, it looks like 8 cups of fruit here, so we'll need 8 cups of fruit of the rhubarb variety:
6 Cups Diced Rhubarb
2 Cups Sliced Strawberries

Drop out the crystallized ginger; Use lemon peel and lemonade in place of the "orange" items.

This is an excellent treat that is healthy and enjoyed by all: even if you don't have to live gluten free. YUM!

G-Free Treats in MN

I am so lucky..........I have friends who take such good care of me! Recently, I was blessed with chocolate treats of the gluten free variety!

The first: a Fudge Brownie that lasted quite a long time, and was delicious topped with a little ice cream! How's that for a decadent afternoon treat! This brownie was made and packaged by French Meadow Bakery in Minneapolis. Website: www.frenchmeadow.com

After further examining the label, I also find it to be dairy free, yet processed in a facility that processes coconut and soy. So, if you're looking for dairy free, as well as gluten free: try and find one!

The second came a couple weeks later, when another friend asked if I knew there was a French Chocolatier living right here in Burnsville? This little tasty treat was called a French Nugget: filled with almonds, honey and raisins, and of course Dark Chocolate!!! This was one that I needed/wanted to savor for a couple of days: rich and chewy!! Their website: www.FrenchNugget.com manufactured in Burnsville, MN.

So, if you are looking for a way to indulge in the chocolate, I'd highly recommend either of these little yummies!

It's always a good day, when there is chocolate involved!

The Outer Perimeter is the Place to Be!

The Center for Alternative Healing is an amazing place doing even more amazing work! The Open House was filled with great energy! Thanks to anyone who contributed their energy!

I continue to be amazed at the number of people recommended to try a gluten free diet in some way. Of course, there are others challenged by additional challenges: dairy, soy, etc. All the more reason to stay near the outer perimeter of your local grocery store. All fruit, vegetables, meat, and rice will work! Certainly a lifestyle change for some, but there is abundance here! And we're entering a season where we will be surrounded with foods that will nourish and fill us!

More to come!

link

I know there is a better way to do this, but for today:

Check out this website for more details:
Contact Us

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Open House Reminder: Tomorrow

Hello all you Gluten Free Fans! Here's a friendly reminder that I will be part of an Open House tomorrow from 11am to 5pm in Apple Valley, MN.

I will attach the website link where you can find more information.

I will give a short presentation followed by question and answer at 12:30pm. A few samples will be available to try, as well as recipes for the food provided.

Please share this information with anyone who might be interested in learning more about Living Well: Gluten Free.

TGIF: otherwise known as Pizza Night at our House!

Anyone who lives a gluten free lifestyle has suffered through life without pizza, or good tasting pizza for sure!

And then there was Udi's Pizza Crust. The ever-so-kind-and-helpful staff at Valley Natural Foods in Burnsville, MN introduced me to Udi's products and then there was light! I tried the mixes and the frozen varieties and the even popular English muffin pizza, all of which left me wanting. Edible, not great.

Stored in the freezer case, about $5 for 2 pre-made crusts, Udi's is the best I've tried. I like my crust a little thin and crispy and these fit the bill.

Now I add a little canned pizza sauce, a few green olives, a sprinkle of feta, and a couple of cooked shrimp: I feel like one of the family again! Of course, there are days when pepperoni and mozzarella work too! Be as creative as your tastes allow!

Enjoy!

favorite fast food: gluten free!!

So, the first week I was diagnosed, I had to wonder: Are my days of grabbing a quick bite at a fast food place gone forever? And then I discovered Chipotle'!! Mexican food is by and large: gluten free in nature. One always has the option to ask for a "corn tortilla" in place of a flour one. At Chipotle' there are options for a salad or a bowl or tacos with corn tortillas. Really, the only option that includes wheat is the burrito where a flour tortilla is wrapped around traditional ingredients.

On days where time is not the "issue," I love to create a little Chipotle' food at home: chop the Romaine, find or make some fresh salsa, open a can of corn & peppers and drain, add some pinto or black beans: drain, rinse and scoop, make a little rice and grill some spicy chicken or allow pork to cook in a slow cooker for a few hours, sprinkle on some cheese plus a dollop of sour cream and Yummy! Good Enough to Eat! This homemade variety can really cut down on the sodium as well as the fat too.

So, Chipotle': here we come!

favorite product of the week

So, I'm not sure I can keep up the pace for a daily blog, but I have lots of information to share!

Check it Out!! Trader Joe's has some fantastic gluten free granola; packed full of nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries. Add a little yogurt and you've got a great, fast breakfast! This granola is at a fraction of the cost of other gluten free varieties I've tried from the co-op or other stores.


Trader Joe's Cranberry Maple Nut Gluten Free Granola

Another Easy Recipe

So, I admit it: that first recipe was rather lame! I'm just figuring out how this whole blog thing works! So please bear with me and check back frequently: they will get better! I was just making some adaptions on an "old favorite" of mine that will need some changes to be gluten free. Of course, I need to try it before I can post that one!


For today, here's one I've tried a number of times, and every time: someone asked me for the recipe. It's so simple, it's hard to believe it could be that memorable, but it is!

Frozen Key Lime Pie

1 bag Mi-Del Gluten Free Gingersnap cookies
1/4 cup melted butter
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1 carton Kemp's Frozen Key Lime Pie Yogurt

Crush the cookies to a crumb like substance. Add the melted butter and sugar. Press into a 9 inch pie plate to form a crust.

Allow the frozen yogurt to thaw slightly, so that it scoops and spreads more easily. Scoop it out and spread it into the cookie shell. If you wet your spoon with warm water, it will ease the filling process. Use the entire carton to form a pie.

Return the pie to the freezer and allow to refreeze. Two hours or more.

Cut and serve.

forgot to add

Oops! I forgot to add:

You will need to buy gluten free oats: Either Bob's Red Mill or Lara's are great products! Typically, oats are processed on equipment that is shared with other grains, so it is essential to purchase certified gluten free oats. Occasionally, people with high levels of sensitivity will not be able to tolerate any oat products.

Thanks, and Good Luck!

It's CHOCOLATE FIX

Remember back when you were a kid and you wanted cookies and the faster the better! I do and better yet.........I discovered that they too can be gluten free.

Try these out for a quick sweet treat!

Uncooked Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
5 Tbsps. cocoa
2 cups sugar

Boil these ingredients to a boil and add 1 tsp. vanilla, then stir.

Add 3 cups gluten free oats and 1/2 cup coconut flakes. Stir well.

Drop by teaspoon on waxed paper and allow to cool. Can be refrigerated or frozen to extend freshness.

Okay, so I'm not guaranteeing the "health" of some recipes, but if you're looking for a G-Free treat that is quick and easy, here you go!

Relax

Welcome to My Blog!

Perhaps you have recently been recommended a Gluten Free Lifestyle. Before you panic and wonder: "How will I ever succeed at this?" Remember the list of what you CAN eat far outweighs the list of "not."

I'm sure you've heard the recommendation for all consumers searching for healthy nutrition: stay on the outside of the supermarket. This advice is now more important than ever. Every fruit, vegetable, and fresh meat or fish is gluten free. The challenges lie in our quest for quick meals, largely prepared for consumption in 30 minutes or less. Good News! Quick meals are still possible with a little planning ahead!

Depending on where you are in this process, sampling the variety of gluten free products on the market can be a costly as well as tasteless endeavor. Future blogs will feature lists of my Top Ten gluten free products on the market, recipes, advice for dining out, links to to recommended sites, as well as guest posts from other professionals in nutrition and the benefits of living without gluten in your diet.

I look forward to sharing information that I have learned as well as hearing from your journey: trials and triumphs on the road to a healthier you!

MN G-Free Coach